


All the Time in the World

by Cheloya



Category: Pet Shop of Horrors
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-27 07:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10804155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheloya/pseuds/Cheloya
Summary: Old, imported. Vesca starts reading into things.





	All the Time in the World

It had never occurred to Vesca, when Dee said, "Oh, my. How much do you think she spent, doing that to her hair?" and curled a strand of his own thoughtfully about one finger, that he actually meant, "And isn't this _far_ more appealing?"

It had never occurred to him that a delicate nose-wrinkle and a slight lift of brows could not only mean, "What on earth are you doing with _that_ , my dear," but also, "when you could be spending time with me?"

It had never really occurred to him, in all their study sessions, that Dee might be attending for less-than-academic reasons - though it should've, because Dee knew molecular biology on an almost instinctive level. The only thing he ever had difficulty with was naming the procedures, and being an exchange student, he was allowed the liberty of mis-naming things so long as he could persuade the examiners that he knew what he was talking about - and Dee could sweet-talk his way out of anything.

It had never really occurred to him until after he'd taken Sally dancing, and to dinner, and a movie, and... well, _you know_. He'd never given it a _thought_ until he'd seen the stiff (well, stiffer) expression on the Chinese man's face, when his collar had dipped a little too low and revealed a mouth-shaped bruise, and then, very suddenly, it was all he _could_ think about.

It was always possible he was misreading the situation, of course. Maybe Dee just didn't like the idea of premarital macking-- except that made no sense, because whenever the topic was breached in casual conversation (nearly every conversation that Vesca's 'cruder' friends had), all Dee did was smirk and laugh at them all beneath his breath. Like he'd had more experience than any of them could ever _hope_ to have.

Vesca's throat constricted oddly when he thought about that, because on reflection, Dee's eyes had only ever seemed to be laughing at _him_ , violet eyes dark and cloying like some exotic, intoxicating perfume.

It had never occurred to him, but now the idea wouldn't go away - like the niggling of a false word or an off sentence in a research assignment, he couldn't get it out of his head.

And after a string of dates with Sally, all of which felt ten thousand times more awkward than before with the additional pressure of this new and radical thought, he was tired of the uncertainty.

They were working together quietly in the lab, Dee bent over a microscope and jotting his notes neatly (or scruffily, for all Vesca knew) in Chinese, when Vesca came up behind him and said, "So, what d'you think of her?"

Dee turned, blinking in enquiry. "Her, Vesca?"

"Sally."

"Ah." A smile stretched, smooth and calm and supremely unconvincing. "She is a lovely girl. Very clever, although rather loud for my tastes. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." _Smooth_. "You seemed a little peeved the other day. Not sure if I like her enough to _marry_ her, you know, so I just wondered if I was moving in on your territory or somethin'."

Dee's eyes crinkled at the corners, glimmering amusedly. "Not at all, Mr University Student," he disclaimed coolly. "I could hardly be expected to take an American to wife. Although I must say that if you are uncertain, sooner is better than later when it comes to a gentle let-down."

"Well, I think she's more interested in that Irish kid in engineering, anyway," Vesca returned gruffly, hands in his pockets, eyes firmly focussed on the glass panel above the door. "So it's not like I'm breaking her heart or anythin' like that."

Dee quirked his lips. "If you feel that way, dear Vesca, I can only advise that you move on. Humans are such a short-lived species in the scheme of things." He turned back to his notebook, scribing a complex character in a precise, graceful hand. "It does not do to waste time on frivolities."

Even bent over the microscope, the fine, dark hair trailed down along Dee's spine in a clean, graceful line. His fingers with their nails, making carefully minute adjustments to both the slide and the distance of the lens from it. The way his left eye dropped perfectly closed, without the need to contort his face to focus upon the eyepiece.

Vesca's hand took the long braid, gently, and Dee stiffened at the contact. Stiffened, but made no attempt to move away.

"If she's not your territory," Vesca asked, and felt his throat constricting, "then who is?"

Dee turned, slowly, his hair pulling over and under his chin as he faced the blond man. "Vesca," he began softly. "This is not something..." Tried again, "I rarely consider territory, however..."

Vesca leaned past the Chinese man to brace himself against the workbench, bringing his face on level with Dee's. Purple eyes watched him closely, raptly, just as fascinated with this new development as Vesca had been, when it had first occurred to him. Silently, he licked his lips; his tongue seemed pale against them.

The tableau held until Vesca said, "What do you think of her, Dee?"

"She isn't worth your time." This time, the reply was immediate, although distant. Vesca took a shaky breath through his nose, added fuel to the fire.

"Who is?"

Dee's expression was blank, so carefully blank, as he replied. "I am." Dull and lifeless, cold and controlled, and yet when the cool fingers cupped his face and drew it downward, Vesca could not look away.

Dee kissed him gently, searchingly, his hands never moving from the sides of Vesca's face, barely sucking on the blond man's lower lip. It was only then that the hands stroked gently backward, thumbs brushing along his cheekbones, through the hair that fell forward over his ears, and then Dee broke the kiss with a shuddering breath, sat back with his eyes closed and his fingers trembling against the back of Vesca's neck.

"Not sure I'm worth yours," were the first words off his tongue, and he felt the fingers twitch along his vertebrae.

"Not much is," Dee murmured, not quite as smoothly as he usually did. "But given the amount I have to waste, it would be a shame to spend it all on business."


End file.
